Attention and Concentration

Question 1

state what it is meant by the key term - attention

Answer 1

Attention, in psychology, is the concentration of awareness on some phenomenon to the exclusion of other stimuli

Question 2

state the names of the 3 dimensions of attention

Answer 2

1. concentration
2. selective perception
3. mental time sharing

Question 3

state what it is meant by the key term - ‘concentration’

Answer 3

concentration is the ability to exert deliberate mental effort on what is most important in a given situation

Question 4

state what it is meant by the key term - ‘selective perception’

Answer 4

selective perception is the ability to zoom in on important stimuli and ignore distracting factors

Question 5

state what it is meant by the key term - ‘mental time sharing’

Answer 5

the ability to perform two or more concurrent activities

Question 6

who, and when, came up with the ‘Principles of Concentration’ ?

Answer 6

Moran, 1966

Question 7

state the 5 ‘Principles of Concentration’ as stated by Moran in 1966

Answer 7

1. concentration requires effort
2. athletes can only focus on one thought at a time
3. athletes focus best when concentrating on actions that are specific, relevant, and under their control
4. lose concentration when you focus on irrelevant factors
5. disrupted by anxiety

Question 8

‘concentration requires mental effort, it is under our control’. state 3 facts about this statement

Answer 8

1. it involves focusing on relevant environmental cues
2. requires effort to maintain concentration over time
3. requires an awareness of the situation

Question 9

what is the issue with existing research in the area of ‘concentration’

Answer 9

it is an under researched area, and it is only reliant on anecdotal evidence

Question 10

research into concentration suggests there are 3 key differenced between successful and unsuccessful athletes. state what these 3 differences are

Answer 10

1. less likely to become distracted
2. more likely to be task than outcome orientated
3. more able to anticipate situations earlier

Question 11

state 3 facts about ‘concentration and optimal performance’

Answer 11

1. being ‘absorbed in the present’ and having no thoughts about the past or the future
2. being mentally relaxed and having a high degree of concentration and control
3. being in a state of extraordinary awareness of both the body and the external environment

Question 12

what are Nideffer’s 2 dimensions of attention styles ?

Answer 12

1. direction of attention (internal vs external)

2. width of attention (broad vs narrow)

Question 13

state 2 facts about internal attention

Answer 13

1. attending to his/her own feelings, thoughts and psychological cues
2. analysis and planning

Question 14

state 2 facts about external attention

Answer 14

1. attending to things going on in the environment

2. occurs at a more reflective level

Question 15

explain the difference between broad and narrow attention

Answer 15

1. broad: attending to several different cues

2. narrow: attending to 1 or 2 cues

Question 16

explain, from Nideffer’s dimension graph, what it is meant when you are attending to ‘broad-external’

Answer 16

athlete is aware of everything that is going on around them

Question 17

explain, from Nideffer’s dimension graph, what it is meant when you are attending to ‘broad-internal’

Answer 17

analytical, flexible and adjusting (eg - game plan, strategies)

Question 18

explain, from Nideffer’s dimension graph, what it is meant when you are attending to ‘narrow-external’

Answer 18

focusing on 1 or 2 factors

Question 19

explain, from Nideffer’s dimension graph, what it is meant when you are attending to ‘narrow-internal’

Answer 19

focusing on effort and feelings

Question 20

state 3 facts about ‘over-analysing body mechanics’

Answer 20

1. narrow-internal focus is essential while learning new skills
2. once learned, focus should shift to external factors (such as a competition)
3. inappropriate internal focus interferes with natural smooth movements

Question 21

state the names of the two main methods of assessing concentration in sport

Answer 21

1. psychometrics

2. psychophysiological

Question 22

state the two advantages of using psychometric measures of concentration’

Answer 22

1. makes inherent sense to coaches and players

2. are cheap and easy to use

Question 23

explain the pro and con of the use of psychophysiological measures of concentration’

Answer 23

1. advantage of being an objective indicator

2. but are more costly and are sometimes impractical

Question 24

what does TAIS stand for ?

Answer 24

TAIS - Test of Attention and Interpersonal Skills

Question 25

what does a TAIS show about effective attenders ?

Answer 25

a TAIS shows that effective attenders score high on the ability items and low on the overload items

Question 26

what are the 6 domains of a TAIS related to ? (2 points)

Answer 26

1. 3 related to Nideffer’s attention styles

2. 3 related to information overload

Question 27

state, and explain, 2 disadvantages to the use of a TAIS

Answer 27

1. can athletes reliably feedback on what actually happens verses what they would have us believe ?
2. doesn’t distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information

Question 28

state 2 types of psychophysiological concentration measurement tools

Answer 28

1. electroencephalogram - EEG (brain activity)

2. HR

Question 29

state what it is meant by the key term - electroencephalogram (EEG)

Answer 29

a test that detects electrical activity in your brain using electrodes attached to your scalp. Your brain cells communicate via electrical impulses and are active all the time, even when you’re asleep

Question 30

state 4 internal distractions to performance

Answer 30

1. attending to past events
2. over analysing of body mechanics
3. lack of motivation
4. emotional factors (eg - anxiety)

Question 31

state what it is meant by the key term - ‘external distractions’

Answer 31

stimuli from the environment that diverts attention from cues which are relevant to performance

Question 32

state 3 external distractions to performance

Answer 32

1. visual distractions
2. auditory distractions
3. gamesmanship

Question 33

state what it is meant by the key term - choking

Answer 33

choking is where performance progressively deteriorates and you are unable to regain control over performance

Question 34

state the ‘choking process’

Answer 34

1. condition leading to choking
2. physiological and attentional changes
3. performance consequences

Question 35

state 3 physiological changes that could occur in response to choking

Answer 35

1. increased muscle tension
2. increased breathing frequency
3. racing HR

Question 36

state 3 attentional changes that could occur in response to choking

Answer 36

1. internal focus
2. narrow focus
3. decreased flexibility

Question 37

state 4 performance consequences of choking

Answer 37

1. focus on irrelevant cues
2. timing and coordination breakdown
3. muscle tightness and fatigue
4. tendency to rush, becoming tentative

Question 38

what should measures to improve concentration always be ?

Answer 38

should always be athlete and environment specific

Question 39

state 3 ways to improve ‘generic skills’

Answer 39

1. learn to shift attention
2. teach athletes to search for relevant cues
3. learn to maintain focus
4. rehearse game concentration
5. learn to ‘park’ intruding thoughts

Question 40

state 4 steps to ‘on site’ improve concentration

Answer 40

1. develop competition plans
2. practice eye contact
3. stay focused on the present
4. over-learn skills

Question 41

how can concentration be improved by - developing competition plans

Answer 41

a tailored plan can help maintain concentration

Question 42

how can concentration be improved by - practicing eye contact

Answer 42

“keep your eyes on the ball” - not necessarily watching the ball, but avoiding visual distractions

Question 43

how can concentration be improved by - over-learning skills

Answer 43

I.e. - make the skill more automatic, freeing cognitive capacity